Chapter : Death Penalty

Question 1

The “Iron Law of Incarceration” means that states that have the option of the death penalty for capital crimes do not necessarily have lower homicide rates than those states that do not have the death penalty as an option for capital crimes.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Recent studies suggest that the decision to impose the death penalty is not associated with the offenders race, but the victims race. That is, you are more likely to receive the death penalty when the victim was white.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

During colonial times in the American colonies, legally sanctioned executions were commonplace and almost always carried out the death sentence.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

What Supreme Court case found that it is unlawful to execute the mentally challenged?

Answer 4

Atkins versus Virginia (2002)

Question 5

What landmark Supreme Court case found it unlawful to execute an offender if they were under 18 at the time of the offense?

Answer 5

Roper versus Simmons (2005)

Question 6

What is the term used to describe the phenomenon that occurs when the homicide rate goes up after someone is put to death?

Answer 6

The Brutalization Effect

Question 7

Which Supreme Court case re-instated the death penalty in 1976 and stated that the court found that “states had developed mechanisms to ensure capital punishment was not implemented in a capricious manner”?

Answer 7

Gregg versus Georgia